Pass the Parcel
A ball is passed around a circle; whoever holds it when the music stops does the skill written on the next 'layer'.
- Stages
- Stage 2
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Skills
- Water Confidence, Submersion, Back Float
- Equipment
- Balls
- Age
- 4–9 years
- Group size
- 4–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- In a lesson
- Game / Consolidation, Recap / Safe Exit
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Choose skill cards that every swimmer in the group can do safely.
What it develops
- Go fully under and pick up an object
- Float on front and back and return to standing
- Roll from front to back and back to front
How to run it
- Swimmers stand in a circle passing a ball.
- When the music (or teacher) stops, the swimmer holding it picks a skill card from the teacher.
- Skills: 5-second back float, go under and wave, push and glide to the teacher, roll front to back.
- Everyone else claps them in, then the parcel carries on.
Teaching cues
- Watch the swimmer doing the skill.
- Try your best skill.
- Cheer each other on.
Make it easier
- Easier skill cards, or perform the skill with a noodle.
- Swimmer can pass the skill to a friend to do together.
Make it harder
- Whole group performs the skill at the same time.
- Add harder cards: pick up a sinker, back glide.
Common faults
- Long waits for swimmers not holding the ball.
Corrections
- Keep circles small (4–6) and run two parcels at once.
Assistant / L1 role
- Run the second circle, reading the skill cards and supporting the swimmer who is performing.